Safety window washline holders



July 3, 1962 B. GOLDBERG SAFETY WINDOW WASl-ILINE HOLDERS Filed March 23, 1961 FIGE INVENTOR.

nite tates This invention pertains to new and useful improvements in supports for an exterior washline or similar endless line that can be swung inside a room through an open window for hanging or removing articles on the line and then swung out again so that the window can be closed. One purpose of this invention is to eliminate the hazard of falling out of the window where it is otherwise necessary to lean out of the window to hang or remove wash or other articles from the line. Also, by using this invention, backache and strain caused by leaning out and working in unnatural positions will be reduced and the work will be more conveniently done.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one practical form of my invention.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of a portion of a window frame and an attached safety swing-inside washline holder which is set and locked in a horizontal position so that the washline projects into the interior of the room.

FIGURE 2 is similar to FIG. 1, but shows the washline holder set and locked in a vertical position so that the washline is held outside the window and thus does not interfere with opening or shutting the window.

It should be understood that the remote end of the washline is supported by a suitable pulley which may be fastened to a pole or other structure.

Referring to the drawings, numeral 1 designates the interior of the room and numeral 2 is an exterior windowframe member to which the washline holder device is attached. The washline holder device includes a substantially trong and rigid supporting bracket 3 which is adapted to be secured to windowframe member 2 by means of a number of screws 4; a shaft-holding pivot member 5 which is provided with a projecting threaded stud 6 that turns in a corresponding threaded hole 18 in bracket 3; another stud 7 which projects from pivot member 5 for position-locking purpose; a U-shaped hinged latchplate 8 which is secured to bracket 3 by means such as a number of screws or bolts 9; a pulley-support shaft 10 held in an aperture 19 in pivot member 5 and slideably adjustable therein for longitudinal position and secured in position by means of setscrew 11; two grooved pulleys 12 and 13 mounted in pulley holders 14 which are suspended from the ends of pulley-support shaft 10 by means of pulley-suspension links 15, said links 15 being preferably made of stranded wire rope or solid metal rings or chain which allow sufiicient play for pulleys 12 and 13 to align their individual direction to the movement of washline 16 through them; a rotation-limit-stop pin 17 provided with a threaded end which screws into a corresponding tapped hole 20 in bracket 3.

The washline holder device is operated as follows:

In FIG. 1 the washline 16 is inside the window opening and within easy reach so that clothes or other articles may be safely and conveniently hung on or removed from the line. When this operation is completed the washline may be swung to the outside of the window to the position shown in FIG. 2. This is done by swinging latchplate 8 up so as to disengage it from pivot member locking-stud 7 then pushing the end of the pulley-support shaft 10 down and out thus rotating it to a vertical position where the latchplate can set down to catch the shaft 10' within is U-space thus locking it in this position. When the washline is to be used again, latchplate 8 is swung up to atent v z a a release shaft 10 and the bottom of the shaft is pulled in so as to rotate it to a horizontal position where the latchplate can set down to catch locking stud 7 within its U-space, thus locking the shaft in this position. Rotation-limit-stop pin 17 prevents movement in wrong direc tion or overtravel of shaft 10 and thus protects the window from being struck and damaged by said shaft 10.

Support bracket 3 is reversible in vertical position, being provided with suitably located mounting holes 9a and 17a for relocating parts as necessary to adapt the washline holder device for use at either side of the window opening.

To increase the clearance space between the washline and the side of the window opening, support bracket 3 may be reversed in vertical position from that shown in FIG. 1. This can be done by transferring pivot member 5, latchplate S, and stop-pin 17 to similar positions on the reversed side of bracket 3, which will now face the window opening. This move utilizes tapped hole 17a for engagement with stop-pin 17 and holes 9a for latchplate attachment screws 9.

The clearance space between the washline and the side of the window opening is also adjustable by screwing pivot member threaded stud 6 further into or out of support bracket 3.

The construction of the washline holder device in my invention is such that it keeps the washline at a practically uniform tension in all positions and thus prevents a sudden heavy jerk on the line when swinging it into or out of the room. The uniformity of the tension is adjustable by adjusting the longitudinal position of pulley-support shaft 10 in pivot member 5.

The longitudinal position adjustment of shaft 10 in pivot member 5 also provides a means for making the washline more taut in one locked position than in the other locked position. This feature can be used, for instance, where it is desired to have the line stretched tight in the horizontal position for hanging or removing clothes, and to have slack in the line otherwise; or vice versa.

Another advantage of the construction of the device is that the washline can be installed in any suitable direction since the pulleys can automatically align their directions to that of the washline.

Various modifications and changes can be made in the general form and details that I have shown, without in any way departing from the spirit of my invention, and I therefore do not wish to limit myself to the exact details of construction herein set forth. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What I claim is:

1. A safety washline holder, comprising in combination: a bracket for attachment to the exterior side of a window frame and to support and hold locked in positions a pivotally-connected pulley-supported shaft, said bracket having a hinged U-shaped latch plate, the U-space of which is intended to engage a longitudinal section of the pulley-support shaft for locking said shaft in. vertical position and to engage a projecting stud on said shaft for locking said shaft in horizontal position, said pulley-support shaft provided with a projecting threaded stud near its center to turn in a corresponding tapped hole in said bracket for support and pivot purpose and for spacing adjustment between said bracket and said shaft, and two pulleys held one at each end of the pulley-support shaft.

2. A safety washline holder, comprising in combination: a bracket for attachment to the exterior side of a window frame and to support and hold locked in positions at pivotally connected pulley-support shaft, said bracket having a hinged U-shaped latch plate the U-space of which is intended to engage a longitudinal section of the pulley-support shaft for locking the shaft in vertical position and to engage a projecting stud on said shaft for locking the shaft in horizontal position, said pulley-sup port shaft provided with a threaded stud near its center to turn in a corresponding tapped hole in said bracket for support and pivot purpose and for spacing adjustment between said bracket and said shaft, two grooved pulleys mounted in pulley holders which are suspended one at each end from the pulley support shaft by means of links passing through an aperture provided at each end of said shaft, whereby said links allow sufficient play for the pulleys to automatically align their individual directions with the direction of movement of the washline through them, and a rotation-limit stop attached to said bracket to prevent over travel or movement in wrong direction of said pulley-support shaft.

3. A safety washline holder, comprising in combination: a bracket for attachment to the exterior side of a window frame and to support and hold locked in positions, a pulley-support-shaft-holding pivot member which is pivotally connected to said bracket, said bracket provided with a hinged, U-shaped latch plate, the U-space of which is intended to engage a longitudinal section of the pulleysupport shaft for locking the shaft in vertical position and to engage a projecting stud on said pivot member for locking said shaft in horizontal position, said pivot member provided with an aperture in which a pulley-support shaft is inserted and held in position by a set screw, the longitudinal position of the shaft in the pivot-member thus being slidably adjustable, a threaded stud on the pivotmember projecting at a right-angle to shaft aperture for engagement in a corresponding tapped hole in said bracket for support and pivot purpose and for spacing adjustment between said bracket and said shaft, another stud on pivot member at right angles to the threaded stud and shaft aperture for engagement with said latchplate to lock said shaft in horizontal position, two grooved pulleys mounted in pulley holders which are suspended one at each end from the pulley-support shaft by means of links passing through an aperture provided at each end of said shaft, whereby said links allow suflicient play for the pulleys to automatically align their individual directions with the direction of movement of the washline through them, and a rotation-limit stop attached to said bracket to prevent overtravel or movement in wrong direction of said pulleysupport shaft.

4. The safety washline holder as set forth in claim 3, characterized by the adjustable longitudinal positioning of said pulley-support shaft in said pivot member for changing the relative spacing between the two said grooved pulleys and said pivot member, whereby the said positioning predetermines a relative difference in tension on the washline when said pulley-support shaft is rotated between the horizontal position and the vertical position and thus allows the washline to be automatically stretched substantially taut in one said position and slack in the other said position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS McNaught June 7, 1949 

